TRUTH

Truth, the mother of virtue, is painted in garments as white as snow; her looks are serene, pleasant, courteous, cheerful, yet modest; she is the pledge of all honesty, the bulwark of all honour, the light and joy of all human society. She is commonly accounted the daughter of Time, because she is discovered in the course of time.

There is nothing loved more healthfully than God's truth, which is beautiful and luminous above all. He who, with unconfused and piercing eye, can discern the truth himself and, after having himself discerned it, can make known to others all which concerns the goodness of God and His just judgment, he it is who gives glory to God and lives a life in harmony with such contemplation.

Great is the strength of truth. Men hate truth, and they prophesy truth unaware. They do not act it, but it is acted of them.

Nothing can be clearer or mightier than truth, just as nothing is weaker than falsehood, though it be shaded by ten thousand veils; for, even so, it is easily detected, it easily melts away; but Truth stands forth unveiled for all that will behold her beauty; she seeks no concealment, dreads no danger, trembles at no plots, desires not glory from the many, is accountable to no mortal thing, but stands above them all, is the object of ten thousand secret  plots, yet remaineth unconquerable, and guards as in a sure fortress those who fly to her by her own exceeding might, who avoids secret lurking-places, and setteth what is hers before all men.

Saints Basil, Chrysostom and Augustine

(01-20-04)